Cape Cateret to decide on mayoral term

Sunday

Board can take a vote to either leave things as they are or to adopt an ordinance to amend the town charter to extend the mayoral term to four years.

CAPE CARTERET — Two years or four?

The Cape Carteret Board of Commissioners will decide this week whether or not to extend the term of town mayor from two years to four years.

There was no further discussion of the matter at last week’s work session, but the board did agree to put the issue on the agenda for the regular meeting. The meeting will be held at 7 tonight in the assembly room at the Cape Carteret Town Hall.

After any final discussion, the board can take a vote to either leave things as they are or to adopt an ordinance to amend the town charter to extend the mayoral term to four years.

If the mayor’s term is extended, the change would not take effect until the 2015 municipal election.

Commissioner Tara Patterson brought up the topic at the board’s May work session and set in motion formal discussions of the issue.

She has said that for a small town without a manager or administrator, the mayor has a significant managerial role. She believes a four-year term would bring more continuity to the seat.

Those who have supported the idea say two years leaves little time for a new mayor to take office and to get projects and initiatives accomplished.

Those opposed are hesitant to change the town charter and believe two years is sufficient. They also say that a mayor doing a good job is likely to get re-elected.

The town board agreed to consider a change in the mayoral term but chose not to make any changes to current staggered system of electing the board.

Currently the mayor is elected every two years and commissioners are elected on a staggered basis. Every two years, three of the five commissioner seats are up for election, with the top two vote getters getting four-year terms and the third a two-year term.

To meet requirements for amending a town charter the town has held public comment sessions, including a public information session and a formal public hearing.